For Canada, the trade debate never ends
OTTAWA—Former prime minister John Turner, who died on Sept. 19, faced the collective resources and determination of not only Progressive Conservatives, but also nearly the entire Canadian business community in his losing campaign against Canada-U.S. free trade in 1988. The pro-trade push that helped Brian Mulroney win the pivotal battle over Canada’s economic future also […]
Canada-Irish relationship ‘ripe for development,’ new envoy says
Helping negotiate the 1998 peace treaty in Northern Ireland is among the proudest achievements for Ireland’s new top diplomat in Ottawa, and one that has a notable Canadian connection. As a member of the Irish government’s team involved in the negotiation, and later implementation, of the Good Friday Agreement bringing to an end decades of […]
Liberals ignoring promise for trade transparency as U.K. talks ‘commence,’ say critics
Opposition MPs say the Liberal government is ignoring an agreed-upon change that gives Parliamentarians more transparency over trade deals by not alerting the House of the start of trade negotiations with the United Kingdom after the top U.K. trade official said those talks have “commenced.” When the Liberal government was pushing for the rapid passage […]
Feds trumpet uncertain WTO reform to protect Canada from trade whims of superpowers
With growing trade uncertainty around the globe, the Liberal government is trumpeting its leadership of a group of likeminded nations to reform the World Trade Organization, but progress is far from guaranteed. The Canadian government formed the Ottawa Group in 2018 with Australia, Brazil, Chile, the European Union, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, […]
Presidential election could change course on unilateral tariff use, but Canada-U.S. trade tensions will remain: experts
With the removal of national security tariffs on Canadian aluminum exports, the fast-approaching U.S. presidential election will shape Canada-U.S. trade for the next four years, but a Biden administration won’t spell a reprieve from acrimonious trade relations, say experts. U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade relationship with Canada has been defined by the weaponization of national […]
Canada long overdue for ‘more populist voices’ to take up cause of ‘expendables’, says economist Rubin
Economist Jeff Rubin’s prescient book about the hollowing out of the middle class, or the “expendables,” as he’s phrased it, couldn’t have landed at a more opportune time. The pandemic-induced panic that led countries en masse to shutter their borders, to limit, and even ban, exports of critical personal protective equipment, and to shore up […]
Navarro’s comments stung, but they weren’t untrue
OTTAWA—Last week, there was a brief, but intense, media feeding frenzy over Canada’s long-since discontinued contribution to the war in Afghanistan. The genesis for this controversy was previously taped comments from U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro. The recordings were made by White House reporter Jim Sciutto as part of the research for […]
Canada could have added leverage in trade talks with U.K. as activists push for stronger environmental protections
With the United Kingdom pushing for a multitude of free trade deals as the Brexit transition period nears its end, Canada could be in a position of increasing leverage in trade talks with Britain, say analysts, while activists hope for increased environmental protections in a new pact. When the transition period expires in four months, […]
New ministerial anchoring of Canada-U.S. file is a return to regular operations, say experts
As cabinet ministers take on new roles and more voices are being added to the crucial Canada-U.S. file, experts say it is a normalization of ministerial responsibilities after the chaos of the Trump administration and the NAFTA renegotiations was met with an unconventional approach. International Trade Minister Mary Ng (Markham-Thornhill, Ont.) and Foreign Affairs Minister […]
Time to level the playing field for Canadian wine growers
In a year plagued by COVID-19, Canadian grape growers, wineries, and businesses in the hospitality, tourism and retail sectors, like their counterparts around the world, have been working with governments to address the overwhelming impacts of the pandemic. This is not surprising considering the value-added economic linkages of the Canadian wine and grape industry, which […]
